Hotel California Rating: Pearls
| 1 of 7 | Lobby at the Hotel California | Full Screen | View All 349 Photos |
Oyster Review Summary
Photos and Review by Oyster.com Investigators.
Pros
- Nice location within walking distance of many attractions
- Some rooms open into a small courtyard or have private terraces
- Clean bathrooms with towel warmers and marble sinks
- Rustic breakfast lounge with wood-beamed ceilings
- Quaint rooftop terrace equipped for dining and drinks
- Mostly free breakfast buffet (eggs cost extra)
Cons
- Basic rooms with sparse furnishings and no coffeemakers
- Fee to use the single communal computer
- Wi-Fi fees
Bottom Line
It's more about comfort than style at this 44-room boutique. The gorgeous lobby is perhaps the most lavish part of the hotel, with its marble and stone floors, intricate moldings, and ornate ceiling. Guest rooms, however, are disappointingly no-frills. Most are small and sparsely furnished, with few amenities. The mini-fridges are empty and some of the flat-screen TVs are tiny. A highlight is the quaint rooftop terrace equipped for dining and drinks. The hotel's main selling point is its prime locale, which is great for tourists. However, extra fees -- for anything from Internet access to eggs at breakfast -- detract from its value.
Categories
Boutique, Kid-FriendlyOyster Hotel Photos
View All 12 AlbumsCustomers Who Viewed Hotel California Also Viewed
Oyster Hotel Review
Location
Situated on a quiet, alley-like street that is a short walk from the iconic Duomo cathedral and the Galleria dell'Accademia
The Hotel California is tucked away on a quiet, alley-like street that is adjacent to a parking garage. It is in an ideal spot for scouting Florence's many tourist sites, with the iconic Duomo cathedral and famed Galleria dell'Accademia within close walking distance. Restaurants and theaters are also nearby, although be forewarned that the area around the hotel can seem especially dark at night.
Florence is extremely pedestrian-friendly, and is one of Italy's most beautiful cities -- it's more compact, and less gritty, than Rome. The Duomo is the most iconic sight here, but other popular attractions include Michelangelo's "David" at the Galleria dell'Accademia, the works of Botticelli and da Vinci at the Uffizi, and the Ponte Vecchio bridge, which dates back to the 1300s. The Piazza della Signora is a popular tourist hub, and many hotels are located near it.
- 19-minute drive from Peretola Airport
- 2- to 5-minute walk to nearby shops and restaurants
- 5-minute walk to Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's famous "David" statue is housed
- 7-minute walk to the iconic Duomo cathedral
- 7-minute walk to Teatro della Pergola
- 8-minute walk to Piazza della Repubblica
- 10-minute walk to Galleria Il Ponte contemporary art museum
- 10-minute walk to Teatro Verdi
- 10-minute walk to Palazzo Strozzi cultural center
- 11-minute walk to designer shopping along Via de'Tornabuoni
- 11-minute walk to Museo Marino Marini contemporary art museum
- 11-minute walk to Museo dei Fratelli Alinari photography museum
- 11-minute walk to Piazza della Signoria -- the political center of Florence
- 12-minute walk to Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's town hall
- 12-minute walk to Santa Maria Novella train station
- 13-minute walk to the Uffizi Gallery, which houses Botticelli's "Birth of Venus"
- 13-minute walk to the Basilica di Santa Croce
- 14-minute walk to the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio bridge
- 9-minute drive to Giardini della Fortezza
- 15-minute drive to Boboli Gardens
Bottom Line
It's more about comfort than style at this 44-room boutique. The gorgeous lobby is perhaps the most lavish part of the hotel, with its marble and stone floors, intricate moldings, and ornate ceiling. Guest rooms, however, are disappointingly no-frills. Most are small and sparsely furnished, with few amenities. The mini-fridges are empty and some of the flat-screen TVs are tiny. A highlight is the quaint rooftop terrace equipped for dining and drinks. The hotel's main selling point is its prime locale, which is great for tourists. However, extra fees -- for anything from Internet access to eggs at breakfast -- detract from its value.
Things You Should Know About Hotel California
Address
- Via Ricasoli 30 Florence, FI 50122 Italy
Room Types
- Double Room
- Quad Room
- Single Room
- Triple Room
Find the Lowest Price - Enter Dates
Oyster "Tell-All" Pricing
Check-in
Check-out
Rooms
Guests
Compare rates on dozens of sites
| AVG/NIGHT | ||
|---|---|---|
| BookIt.com | ||
| Hotels.com | ||
| Expedia.com | ||
| Priceline.com | ||
| Booking.com | ||
| ReserveTravel.com | ||
| Travelocity.com | ||
| Getaroom.com | ||
| Venere.com | ||
| Detailed Pricing Info › | ||
All About Oyster
You Can't Return a Bad Vacation.
Our special investigators visit, photograph, review and rate each hotel. We uncover the truth, before it's "uh-oh" time.
Nearby Hotels to Consider
- Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco
- Florence, Italy
- Rating: 35 Pearls
- Distance: 0.1 mi
- Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo
- Florence, Italy
- Rating: 40 Pearls
- Distance: 0.1 mi
- Palazzo Ruspoli
- Florence, Italy
- Rating: 30 Pearls
- Distance: 0.1 mi
- Hotel Loggiato Dei Serviti
- Florence, Italy
- Rating: 35 Pearls
- Distance: 0.2 mi
Hotel Features
| Number of Rooms: | 22 |
| Pool: | No |
| Fitness Center: | Yes |
| Spa: | No |
| Internet Access: | Yes |
| Pets Allowed: | Yes |
| Cribs: | Yes |
| Kids Club: | No |
| Jacuzzi (in room): | No |
| Casino: | No |
Hotel Information
| Location: | Florence, Italy |
| Address: | Via Ricasoli 30 Florence, FI 50122 Italy (See Map) |
